The first Saturday of every month, Packers President and CEO Ed Policy will write about a topic of interest to Packers fans and the organization and then answer fan questions. Fans are encouraged to email Ed with their name and hometown at: PolicysPerspective@packers.com.
Welcome to draft month. As we wrap up 2026 Annual Meeting held in Phoenix earlier this week, I am eagerly looking forward to the draft later this month. I have often thought that the NFL Annual Meeting and the draft mark the true start of the new season. It won't be long before rookies report for minicamp and players come in for OTAs. As I mentioned last month, I love this time of year and the opportunity to see months of hard work in our scouting department come to fruition across free agency and the draft.
At the Annual Meeting we covered everything from rule changes on kickoffs and onside kicks to wonky and admittedly less newsworthy topics, like changing the number of virtual meetings players can have with teams during the legal negotiating period prior at the start of free agency. These meetings are a great time for ownership to roll up their sleeves and dig into topics critical to the future of our game. They are also an opportunity for us to network across the league, increasing our influence and relevance with other owners and executives.
As I unpack from the Annual Meeting, let's unpack some of your questions...
Larry from Cedarburg, WI
Ed, this is your first offseason as President and CEO. I don't need to tell you that. I served in the military during Vietnam but in Germany. I always enjoyed the time after deployment. I imagine the offseason is similar to wrapping up a deployment, you probably find yourself with more time than you know what to do with. So I must ask, outside of football and all the combine/draft work, what do you enjoy doing with your free time in the offseason?
Thanks for the question, Larry and thank you for your service to our country. First and foremost, working in the NFL is nothing compared to the work of the men and women who serve in our military. My wife's family has a long history of military service and I have immense respect and gratitude for those who made the selfless decision to serve our country. On your question about the offseason, I hate to break it to you, but the offseason isn't necessarily as full of downtime as you'd expect. There are a whole host of league meetings throughout the offseason and community events that fill up our calendar. Whether it is the Annual Meeting down in Arizona, the NFL Draft later this month, Tailgate Tour in a couple of weeks, or minicamp and OTAs, there isn't a whole lot of down time. Our entire organization has many efforts that occupy our time in the offseason. All that being said, if I get some down time I enjoy kayaking on the Fox River, a round of golf with my sons, or an evening glass of wine with Christy.
Jason from Eureka, WI
Good day Ed, my questions come from the origins of my first Packers game in 1991 at Milwaukee County Stadium. My grandfather took me there with a coworker. The Packers played the Seahawks. We lost unfortunately. Blair Kiel entered the game and gave us a bit of a jolt. Either way it was an amazing experience, just walking up from the concession area to see the field. I then saw games after that versus the Lions. By then we had Reggie and Brett so as you can guess I left the game a little happier than my first. The Packers have done an awesome job with the Gold Package and keeping the Milwaukee legacy alive. What I struggle to find is a lot of pictures and stories about those games and times in Milwaukee. Are there photos of the locker room with Packer players? Where did the Packers stay in MKE? Where did they hang out? Is there any picture of Mike Holmgren talking at halftime in the Brewers locker room, etc? I think it would be cool to see all of that maybe on the Packers website, or even when there's a Gold Package game on display in the atrium of those wonderful times.
Thank you for your question, Jason. There are certainly some incredible moments from our years at County Stadium. Brett Favre's dramatic comeback win against the Falcons was a fitting close to our time in Milwaukee. While we don't necessarily write often about our time there, a few years back, Cliff wrote extensively about our connections in Milwaukee and the ultimate decision to move all of our games to Lambeau. While our County Stadium days were long before my time, a few staff around the building still reminisce about moving our entire locker room, press box, and sideline setup down to Milwaukee multiple times a year. I appreciate your mention of the Gold Package and the Milwaukee legacy, as that was an initiative of the late Bob Harlan. Financially, the Packers were missing out on revenue by playing in Milwaukee, so it was a straightforward decision to move all games to Lambeau Field. And, it made the Brewers' planning for a new stadium much simpler and less costly in that they didn't have to consider a design that could accommodate Packers games.
Dan from Minneapolis
Dear Mr. Policy, having been a Packers fan since the 1960s, I realize and appreciate the stewardship exercised over time to maintain franchise viability in the eyes of the other NFL owners by continuously contributing to the NFL bottom line. Fans don't realize that ultimately, the NFL owners can pull the Packers charter if the franchise doesn't satisfactorily contribute to the league's financial performance. (Can't be moved, but can be eliminated). If the naming rights to various parts of the complex can be sold on long-term contracts and those monies devoted to the (corporate reserve) fund and other growing operational expenses, then go for it. Hopefully we are talking $25-40M annually to the Packers. The best of good luck as the league moves into its next phase of financial evolution. Thank you for getting ahead of the competitive challenge to the Packers that privately owned NFL team equity sales create for the only publicly owned franchise.
Thanks for your question, Dan. While much was made about my quote, it seemed like a few media outlets and social media posts may have taken it out of context. So, for clarity purposes here is my full quote from the article: "We're soon to be the only stadium without naming rights. That's not a threshold we're looking to cross any time soon, but we might be a little more aggressive with some of the other entitlement inventory we just hadn't taken advantage of in the past, including things like training facility entitlements and the Titletown campus." I went on to say, without a current willingness to cross that threshold, we must look at other entitlement opportunities or revenues to keep up with other NFL teams. I spoke to this at the Annual Meeting to shed additional light on the healthy paranoia we must have when looking at the economic landscape around the league. While player salaries are capped, every other expense involved in running a football team has increased precipitously over the last decade. I am confident we have the strategic foresight, leadership, and vision to remain competitive for decades to come. But, while we are in a strong financial position right now, we can never take that for granted and must always have an eye toward the future and adapt with the ever-changing landscape of the league. It won't be easy, but we are prepared for the challenge.
Stephanie from Palos Park, IL
Good morning Ed Policy, what are you hoping to see happen in your first NFL Draft as the Green Bay Packers president?
Thanks for the question, Stephanie. Well, I hope that every player that Brian and Matt want falls right in their laps. Watching the draft unfold is always impressive as it is the culmination of months of hard work from our scouts and talent evaluators. The men and women in our player personnel department put in countless hours of hard work behind the scenes all season and offseason trying to determine the players that are the best fit for our organization, and while that work doesn't stop after the three days of the draft, it is certainly a pinnacle moment. Draft week is always a busy time around Lambeau and I look forward to ensuring Brian and Matt have everything they need from me going into the week to make the best decisions for our team going into the 2026 season.
Jim from Milwaukee, WI
Hello President Policy, mere words cannot summarize what Bob Harlan meant to the Green Bay Packers organization. Neither of us would be here at this moment without him. He was a great leader, a giving person, and a tireless worker. His personal act of answering his phone kept him in touch with true Packer fans. I wonder how his example as a leader and a human being guides and influences your approach to moving our franchise forward.
Jim, I couldn't agree more with your incredibly kind words about Bob and his impact on the franchise. I know I wrote at length last month about his impact on me personally and our organization, but it was reiterated how deeply his impact resonated last week when fans joined us in the atrium to remember his life and legacy. Hearing the stories of his coworkers and fans was heartwarming. Coach McCarthy reminisced about Bob frequently greeting him with a cup of coffee, checking in to make sure Mike had everything he needed from Bob. That is an example I am proud to follow, often checking in with Matt, Brian and Russ to ensure they have everything they need from me to be successful. Forever memorializing him on the facade of Lambeau Field this fall is the most fitting way I can think of to honor such an integral part of our franchise.
Eric from Oshkosh, WI
Hello Mr. Policy, can we please please, please, please, please, please, please ,please, PLEASE do an actual alternate uniform at some point? For decades the answer has been that we just don't want to break with the historic tradition of the Packers. We get that, but it's not like anyone is asking to permanently change the uniforms. I like a number of the throwbacks, but still don't understand why the Packers are so reluctant to try something new and creative during the season. Is the organization afraid that too many people might actually prefer the new look and pose a threat to the traditional one?
Thanks, Eric. Yes. As I mentioned back in November, there is a true alternate uniform in the works. Last year, the NFL unveiled a new rivalries uniform for teams in the AFC East and NFC West. The NFC North is on the docket this year. Stay tuned and you'll learn more in the coming months – but I will say this truly alternate uniform will celebrate owners and emphasize our uniqueness...
